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Past Work

Rental Housing

REDUCING EVICTIONS

Early in the i-team’s research into housing inequity in Minneapolis, the negative impact of evictions came up time and again, and in a variety of ways. Not only is the experience of a forced move de-stabilizing for households in the short term, but having an eviction on your record has far reaching consequences for renters in being able to access safe, livable, affordable housing in the future.

As a first step to understanding this issue, the City commissioned a study with HousingLink and HOME Line to analyze the geographic trends in eviction. The results were both predictable in type and shocking in scale:

Eviction rates were highest in ZIP codes with over 50% non-white residents

In North Minneapolis (ZIP codes 55411 and 55412) nearly half of all renter households are estimated to have experienced in eviction filing over 3 years

As a result of this study, the i-team did additional research to better understand the issue. Through additional data analysis and a manual review of court documents from 2015, we learned that:

Eviction cases are quick; most go from filing to resolution within 14 days,

There are property owners who file evictions much more frequently than others; just 10 owners filed over 25% of evictions in Minneapolis in 2015,

1 out of 3 tenants do not show up for the first hearing, and

Two-thirds of cases result in tenant displacement

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The underlying causes for evictions, and the ill effects that follow, are complex. There is not one solution, nor can the problem be solved by any one government agency, non-profit, institution, or change in policy. However, collectively, the policies and procedures of City, County, State, and non-profit players can have an major impact. The i-team has been working to convene these players to create a collaborative plan of action that will lead to fewer evictions for residents in Minneapolis.